This page serves to highlight all types of donations.
We always appreciate those who think of the financial health of The Music Stand Foundation. But we are also thrilled to receive in-kind donations. Sometimes Friends of The Music Stand Foundation donate money. As well, however, family heirlooms are donated in the form of music stands, musical instruments, or handmade music-related items. Consider that unique instruments may serve the needs of our composition and creative music outreach programs which may then become even more interesting for students. Imagine composing a piece of music using a gusle, a pianolin, or getting to conduct from a hand-built music stand.
Thank you to our Heroes for music education!
Frederick Sehring Drake Resident of Redondo Beach
July 2, 1915 - February 28, 2008
A longtime resident of Southern California, Fred Drake, passed away while trying to recover from an injury. He was 92 when he died. Fred was born in Marseilles, Illinois. Growing up, his family lived in several towns in the Midwest, but they eventually moved to Manhattan Beach in 1924. He graduated from Redondo High School in 1933, UCLA in 1937, and subsequently obtained a Master's degree from USC. During World War II, he volunteered for service in the Army Air Corps where he served as a major in the VIII Air Force Fighter Command in England, including initial attachment to the Royal Air Force. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service and separated from the Air Force in 1946 as a lieutenant colonel.
Fred served as an elementary school principal for Manhattan Beach and Los Angeles City Unified School Districts between 1939 and 1974, including ten years at Darby Avenue Elementary School in Northridge, California. During his career and retirement, he was particularly interested in promoting music education for children. He also enjoyed traveling in Europe, meeting people, and studying history. He is survived by his sons, James of Papillion, Nebraska, and Robert of Martinez, California; his grandson, Matthew of San Francisco; his brother, Wilmer of Redondo Beach; and his sister, Betty Jean Saunders of Mission Viejo, California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eunice and Seth; his wife, Marguerite; and his friend, Doris Bergstrom. The Memorial Service will be held at White and Day Colonial Mortuary, 901 Torrance Blvd., Redondo Beach, on Saturday, April 5 at 1:00 p.m. Inurnment will be private at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Music Stand Foundation (PO Box 1881, Redondo Beach, CA 90278; www.MusicStandFoundation.org, an organization that supports the teaching of music to school children). Please sign the guest book at www.dailybreeze.com/obits. To send the family messages, share memories, and to obtain directions to services, please go to the mortuary's website.
Published in the Daily Breeze from 3/28/2008 - 3/29/2008.
(2008) Saturday I spoke at the memorial service of Frederick Sehring Drake. Mr. Drake was a life-long educator, principal, and supervisor in Southern California school districts as well as member of the South Bay community for much of his life. In particular, he built strong music education programs in the districts he worked for. I was extremely moved by the stories I heard about his life.
Mr. Drake's family chose to invite friends and loved ones to make donations to the Music Stand Foundation in lieu of flowers or other remembrances. This experience has been a great honor for the Foundation and for me personally, and Saturday, we made many new friends. I hope the Drake family understands the gratitude we feel for this donation and we send our blessings as they make this transition with the passing of their father, grandfather, uncle, father-in-law, and friend. -Lisa Crawford, Founder
July 2011 -- We are grateful to the Morrow family for their generous and thoughtful donation of a Casio keyboard (plus stand, cover, and books) for the Los Angeles Young Composers Ensemble.
May 2010 - Donation of hand carved Gusle (Musical Instrument)
GUSLE from one of San Pedro's second generation Croatian families. Played by their father who immigrated to America from Croatia, he sang to his family with the gusle on the front porch of their San Pedro home. We are currently trying to find how to restring the Gusle. Let us know if you know how OR how to play the gusle!
Donation - Hand-built Music Stand
Built by Dr. Byron Myhre, a life-long trumpet player (and in the University of Illinois marching band during his college years), this beautiful Music Stand was donated to The Music Stand Foundation upon his passing in 2009. Dr. Myhre, an internationally known doctor becasue of his research on blood, was extremely tall. We will use the Music Stand for fund raising events! It is gorgeous and we are grateful to his family for thinking of us!
Dr. Myhre (R) in the 1940s as a student
University of Illinois marching band (1946)
Donation - Musical Instrument Pianolin
We are still learning about this instrument. It is played with a bow and has a small triangle on one side to set it up at an angle for easier playing. Please let us know if you have experience playing this instrument!
